Apple Butter

[CrystalWriter]

I want to make apple butter, as my granddad's apple trees seemed to have really come into fruit.

Most of the recipes I've come across, calls for a crockpot to be used. Can I make it any other way.

 

[Hoot]

you sure can!!
Apple butter was being made before the slow cooker was invented.
Let me see if I can find my grandmother's recipe.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Hoot and Crystal Writer, Buonasera, Good Evening,


What exactly is apple butter ? Is butter employed, or is it more like an apple sauce ?

What do you serve it with ?

Thanks,
Margi.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Apple butter can be made on the stove top, or in bean pot, in the oven. The peeled and sliced apples are cooked with a touch of lemon, cinnamon, maybe a hint of cloves, and nutmeg until the natural apple fruit sugars caramalise into that deep, rich brown color, and much of the moisture is evaporated out. Then can as you would any other preserves. You can add sugar if you desire, but it isn't necessary.

To avoid scorching the apple butter, stir frequently, and use just enough heat (low) to keep it simmering. If you have a diffuser plate, that will help also.

I used to love apple butter on buttered toast. I just don't get it often enough anymore. And the apples from my trees aren't of good enough quality to make apple butter.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CrystalWriter]

Hoot and Crystal Writer, Buonasera, Good Evening,


What exactly is apple butter ? Is butter employed, or is it more like an apple sauce ?

What do you serve it with ?

Thanks,
Margi.

From what I can tell, its more like a spicy applesauce, both sets of grandparents, have recently been going on about it. So thought I would use the opportunity from a good harvest. To surprize them

 

[Hoot]

Here is my grandmothers recipe. It is a hand written recipe that I transcribed to Word. My comments are in italics.

Apple Butter
1 qt. of sweet cider
2 1/2 lbs. of apples; washed, cut in quarters, unpeeled (we always used what we called field apples, a greenish apple with flecks of gray on the peel. Called field apples because there used to be apple trees in most of the fields hereabouts. I been meaning to start a thread about these apples to see if anyone knows what they are properly called. In any event they are scarce around here now anyway.)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
Cook the cider until reduced by half. Add apple chunks and cook until soft, stirring frequently.
Rub through a sieve. I reckon you could use some other method such as an immersion blender then pass through a sieve or cheesecloth. Maybe someone else will have a better idea.

Add the other ingredients.
Some lemon juice can be added to improve the taste, if desired.
Cook until thick and glossy.
The directions go on to describe the canning and processing method. But I recommend you follow approved USDA instructions for canning.
Her recipe does not tell how much this yields.
I hope this will be of some assistance.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Hoot, Chief & Crystal Writer

Firstly, thanks for your assistance in explaining what apple butter is and how to employ it.

Sounds lovely.

Appreciate the recipe too ...

Which apples do you believe are best for the recipe ?

Golden, Granny, Red Delicious or Pink Lady or Baking ?

Have nice August,
Margi.

 

[Dawgluver]

Any type of apple will work, it's especially nice with a mix of sweet and tart. Our apple tree is an unknown variety, but makes outstanding apple butter, sauce, pies, etc.

My grandma was thrilled to find a recipe for AB in the oven. She cut up apples ( didn't peel or core), put them in a roaster with sugar and spice in a low oven, stirring frequently. The nice thing about AB in a crockpot is that you don't need to stir it. I've also made small batches on the stovetop.

I use a similar recipe to Hoot's, but use water instead of cider. You just have to cook the heck out of it, well beyond the apple sauce stage. It's very velvety when done, no chunks.

 

[CrystalWriter]

@Hoot - Thanks I'm hoping to do it this weekend. As for jars, my mother is a regular jam & chutney maker, so it won't be too much bother.

@Margi - TBH I have no idea the breed of apples my granddad has. So the taste will be a surprise.

 

[CWS4322]

I haven't made apple butter in years, but was thinking "tomato butter" in the crockpot to make tomato paste using the instructions for apple butter.

When I did make apple butter, I often included some crab apples. And, at the end, I always added some brandy, apple brandy, or calvados (sp).

 

[Dawgluver]

I haven't made apple butter in years, but was thinking "tomato butter" in the crockpot to make tomato paste using the instructions for apple butter.

When I did make apple butter, I often included some crab apples. And, at the end, I always added some brandy, apple brandy, or calvados (sp).

My grandma had a veritable plethora of crab apple trees, and her apple butter was usually all or mostly crabs. It was so good.

 

[Cburg]

I just made some, or something like apple butter; and it came out great!
I just cut the apples in half, Ved out the core, tossed in a pot, add a little water, boiled for a hour or two, added cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg to taste, and eat!
The neat thing is you can use apples that no one else wants, and they taste great! I am trying another batch now that I will let boil down to carmelization. This is fun, and very thrifty!

 

[Cburg]

One note about coring the apples: Apple seeds are poisonous, and contain cyanogenic acids. Eating a lot of them can make you seriously sick, so it is a good idea to cut out the cores!

Yes, Apple Seeds and Cherry Pits are Poisonous